Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Mechanics and Construction => Mechanics and Construction => Topic started by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 08:26:24 PM

Title: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 08:26:24 PM

I am designing this little mechanism and wondering what this part is called -- the part the blue threads are running in..

Is it called a threaded rail?  I tried googling that but didn't find anything..

I am also wondering if I could just use threaded stock and the threaded bolt could ride on there directly.. would that work?

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Dr.Gonzo1138/CVTest.jpg)

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: airman00 on October 23, 2008, 08:42:13 PM

its called a rack gear

usually used with pinion gear - rack and pinion gear
(http://www.fi.edu/time/Journey/Time/Escapements/rackpinion.gif)

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 08:49:44 PM

Thanks!

can threads run in a rack gear?

I missed something in my description though.. I used that rack gear as a stock element from Google sketchup.. but I really meant for that to be threaded so a bolt could run up and down it..

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: airman00 on October 23, 2008, 08:52:46 PM

why not do this
(http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/a/aa/250px-Linear_actuator_basic.gif)


Thread and a nut .

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 09:03:17 PM

Oooh that's cool airman!

Do they make those pretty small?  That's my only concern.. if it would be small enough for my application.

Or do you mean without a motor.. that would work too.. very cool!

Edit:

Ohh.. shoot.. I just realized something.. there is a reason that won't work.. it would get in the way of something else.  That's why I used this weird design.

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: airman00 on October 23, 2008, 09:13:33 PM

what exactly is moving linearly in your design? The rack or the screw

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 09:22:55 PM

The screw.. and it will push a "piston" into a cylinder.. but there is stuff getting in the way.. so I don't know if it will work.. maybe if I reversed that design somehow.. or altered it slightly. 

I would love for it to be motorized if it will fit and if I could do that cheap enough. Or even if I could just actuate it manually more easily, rather than having to turn the blue knob with my fingers.

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: airman00 on October 23, 2008, 09:27:44 PM

so you want a tiny motor turning a pinion gear so that there is only wires coming out? and the rack is basically a track on which it should go?
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Rack_and_pinion_animation.gif)


Give us all teh details on your application - specs, links to parts, etc. . I can't really give a good answer with such a lack of details.

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 23, 2008, 09:36:57 PM

I can't give all the specifications though.. that's why its so tricky.  It's top secret. :D.

The main thing I am wondering is if a threaded rod.. like the blue threaded portion above can move left or right along that path above if you have a a threaded rack rather than a gear rack like above..

OR.. let's say you remove the racks... and you just have threaded rod stock as pictured above.. can the threaded rod in the middle move along there even if the small threaded stock is a smaller stock as in the picture.

Maybe I need to make some more sketchup drawings to illustrate this better.

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: stan on October 23, 2008, 10:24:23 PM

CAR WINDOW MOTOR ;D

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Xone G0D on October 24, 2008, 12:38:46 AM

Quote from: stan on October 23, 2008, 10:24:23 PM

CAR WINDOW MOTOR ;D

^ brilliant~!!! ^ I was thinking the antena motors and mechanisms found in cars. 

Charlie, are you patenting something and thus why you cant give details away?  ;) 


..X..

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 24, 2008, 01:05:56 AM

Thanks for the idea of the windows mechanism!  I will research those.

It might be patentable.. but I don't think so... but this is a product I might try to manufacture and sell if it works well.

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Xone G0D on October 24, 2008, 03:39:14 AM

As far as patents and Ideas go, this is something I learned, Charlie. 

                           Don't grip you idea too tight, you might squeeze it to death. 


..X..

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 24, 2008, 06:59:39 AM

What about the one..

"a fool and his money are soon parted" lol  That's the one I worry about.. So are you saying to just try to sell it rather than patent it? Or are you saying not to worry about talking about it?

It looks like Airman was right, right off the bat.. I was thinking the points needed to be sharper like a bolt thread.. but it appears to just be a rack gear and a worm gear..

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: autolove on October 25, 2008, 07:21:05 PM

you invented it，maybe，you can call it charlie‘gadget！

 ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Charlie1138 on October 25, 2008, 10:59:51 PM

That's not far off actually. :D  I was going to put my name on it.. but my last name. :D  That's top secret too. hehe

Title: Re: What is this part called?
Post by: Admin on October 28, 2008, 02:49:12 AM

Actually, its a worm gear ;D